COACH: Mike Brown, second season with Lakers, seventh season overall; 313-163.

EYES ON: Nash. While Howard gets a season-long tutorial from Bryant in NBA toughness, the Lakers' 38-year-old point guard will be the lynchpin of their revamped offense. Kobe has never played with a point guard of Nash's talents, and the possibilities are tantalizing.

OUTLOOK: The Lakers' roster is undeniably top-heavy, but their top 6-7 players probably are the NBA's best group. General manager Mitch Kupchak blew up a very good team this summer in hopes of constructing a great one, and if his stars all stay healthy, anything less than a serious run at Oklahoma City and Miami will be a surprise.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

LAST SEASON: 40-26, lost to San Antonio Spurs 4-0 in Western Conference semifinals.

COACH: Vinny Del Negro, third season with Clippers, 4th season overall; 154-158.

EYES ON: Paul. He's wearing a brace on his right thumb during practices and games after having surgery on Aug. 21 to repair a torn ligament. Paul says the brace affects his dribbling and shooting, and mentally he hesitates in reacting to game situations.

OUTLOOK: With veteran depth added to the bench, the Clippers believe they can contend with the top teams in the Western Conference for a title.

EYES ON: Curry and Bogut. Curry (right ankle) and Bogut (left ankle) are recovering from surgeries that sidelined them most of last season. Both have been among the NBA's best at their positions when healthy, but both also have struggled to stay healthy most of their careers.

OUTLOOK: Everything hinges on the health of Curry and Bogut. If healthy, Golden State has a real shot to make the playoffs for only the second time since 1994. If not, Jackson's second year could be his last.

EYES ON: Dragic and Beasley. Dragic shined when given the starting job in Houston and is confident in his return with the Suns. But he knows he's no Nash and it will be a different, but still up-tempo, style of game. Beasley, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2008, goes to his third team looking to emphasize his considerable talents on a more consistent basis while avoiding the off-court issues that have plagued him in stops in Minnesota and Miami.

OUTLOOK: Year One of the post-Nash era will be a struggle as Gentry tries to blend a mostly new cast into a competitive team. Gentry is emphasizing effort and intensity every time out and if he gets that, he'll take the results. Those results, at best, could be competing for one of the last playoff spots in the West.

COACH: Keith Smart, second season with Kings, fourth season overall, 65-116.

EYES ON: Cousins. The volatile center has been blossoming into one of the NBA's best young big men. If he can control his emotions and stay steady in Smart's system, few teams in the league can slow him down.

OUTLOOK: The Kings are filled with young talent. They're also one of the NBA's most perplexing and defensively challenged teams. Cousins and Evans are highlights waiting to happen, and second-year guard Jimmer Fredette has shown small flashes that his brilliance from BYU could translate to the pros. Even if all the young talent can finally mesh, the Kings are still stuck in a Pacific Division that has only improved since last season.

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